ICYMI: Penn State fraternity suspended, Bellefonte store to reopen and more local news
From a beloved Bellefonte antique shop welcoming new owners to a Penn State fraternity facing a multi-year suspension, we’ve rounded up the top local news stories from Wednesday.
Here’s a look at what you may have missed:
• Bellefonte’s Great Mish Mosh reopens under new ownership: Mary and Mike Pritchard, who relocated from Washington state less than a year ago, are taking over the antique shop at 128 S. Allegheny St. and plan to reopen Friday. The Pritchards plan to preserve the store’s character while transforming the second floor into a vendor space, with former owner Karen Urbanski staying on to sell her jewelry collection.
• Pennsylvania fatal crashes hit new low, but Centre County numbers remain steady: State traffic deaths reached a record low in 2025, though Centre County’s fatal crash totals have fluctuated between six and 16 per year, according to PennDOT data. More than one-third of the county’s deadly crashes over the past five years occurred in rural Boggs, Potter, Rush or Spring townships, with 21 of 35 municipalities reporting at least one fatal crash.
• Appeals court revives charges against Penn State professor: A state Superior Court panel reversed a Centre County judge’s dismissal of stalking and harassment charges against Matthew B. Parkinson, 53, director of The Learning Factory, ruling Tuesday that Judge Brian Marshall applied the wrong legal standard. Parkinson’s defense attorney Tim Bowers said they are weighing whether to appeal further.
• Delta Chi fraternity suspended for at least four years: Penn State imposed an indefinite suspension on the Delta Chi chapter following a hazing investigation that found violations including physical and mental abuse, sleep deprivation and excessive alcohol consumption, according to the university. The chapter’s international organization has revoked its charter, and Phi Kappa Psi was also placed on interim suspension April 13 pending a separate investigation.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.
